2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

[JB]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

As hockey fans go, I think that, regardless of the lack of championship trophies we see in the trophy case, UNH fans are pretty spoiled by the year-to-year success the hockey team has had. I, for one, am always clamoring for The Holy Grail. But now that we've seen a less than auspicious start to the season, here we go again with the finger-pointing.
Let's get one thing clear: it's not a mortal sin for a hockey program to undergo a rebuilding year. And, I get more satisfaction from an over-achieving low-potential squad than I get from a bunch of slacking prima donnas who show no consistency and can't sweep the weak teams on a home-and-away weekend.
This weekend it's Northeastern, who cruised by Bentley 3-2, and Maine, who apparently have a lame duck, dead duck coach. This should be interesting.

WOW, we agree.

Even with the L and T last weekend, I found the weekend enjoyable. I think those games helped this team. I was fairly certain I watched several players grow just during the two games.

I think the fans need to look for different things out of this team. This year I am not sure the record matters. This year is all about player growth for next year and the year after. With any luck the growth by the end of this season could make the playoffs interesting. With that prespective the games are still fun.

[NCAA watcher]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

The one frustrating aspect of rebuilding in the new NCAA is that you can't fall in love with a young group because they'll be gone. It's not like looking at Kessel as a soph and saying "wow, two years from now with Laleggia and the freshmen next year we'll be great." Kessel will be gone. This isn't watching the '00 season of Gare, Stafford, Hemingway, etc. as freshmen and knowing that by their junior year UNH would be top 10 in the country. You have to live for the present, because as we saw last year, anticipate future better days can fall apart in seconds with Bourque, White and others not showing up or leaving.

That's more of an indictment of the NCAA than of UNH.

[unh_insider]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

Please don't misunderstand, because Kessel is a great player.
No doubt the best D-man UNH has.
But BU would lose their top 5 blue-liners before he gets called to the pros.
I think it's safe to say there are several collegiate players ahead of him in the pecking order before he makes the jump. He'll be around to play his senior year.
Great player, yes. Ready for the pro's, not yet.

[NCAA watcher]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

No, but he's with the Islanders, who push anything with a pulse to sign quickly, whether or not ready (Smith, Okposo). Combined with his sports oriented family background of striving to move up quickly, I'd bet he's going early.

[unh_insider]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

Smith's move was wise.
He had to strike while his stock was at an all-time high.
Kyle is just a complete stud.
Blake's situation is not similar.


For the sake of our D-corps, I hope I'm right.

[NCAA watcher]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

Well, if he sticks around, and IF Laleggia isn't lured to the WHL, then that will be quite a powerplay next year.

[unh_insider]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

Agreed.
You can not have a successful PP without two highly skilled D-men on the ice...
Or, if required, 1 skilled d-man and 4 skilled forwards...hint, hint.

[RockTheWhit]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

I liked the move of Desimone to the point on the PP this weekend. Kipp and Campanale looked atrocious on the PP during the RPI game. The puck would come back to them and they would hesitate every time, allowing the penalty kill to get back in position and clog lanes. While I agree with whoever it was that described Desimone as an "enigma," one thing he can do is move the puck quickly and he is an improvement over every UNH d-man other than Kessel. Playing Moses back there was also unexpected, but I am glad they are trying new things and hopefully something clicks.

[JB]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

Agreed.
You can not have a successful PP without two highly skilled D-men on the ice...
Or, if required, 1 skilled d-man and 4 skilled forwards...hint, hint.

Biggest thing I noticed about Miami how much better there D-men were than UNH's.

I liked the move of Desimone to the point on the PP this weekend. Kipp and Campanale looked atrocious on the PP during the RPI game. The puck would come back to them and they would hesitate every time, allowing the penalty kill to get back in position and clog lanes. While I agree with whoever it was that described Desimone as an "enigma," one thing he can do is move the puck quickly and he is an improvement over every UNH d-man other than Kessel. Playing Moses back there was also unexpected, but I am glad they are trying new things and hopefully something clicks.

Sometimes it seems like he get enamored with stick handling. He stick handles himself into problems or into places where the other guys on the ice have no clue what they should do and the puck gets turned over.

As for Moses he seem like he is trying to take games over. Do too much and as such turned the puck over getting into tight traffic.

[JB]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

The one frustrating aspect of rebuilding in the new NCAA is that you can't fall in love with a young group because they'll be gone. It's not like looking at Kessel as a soph and saying "wow, two years from now with Laleggia and the freshmen next year we'll be great." Kessel will be gone. This isn't watching the '00 season of Gare, Stafford, Hemingway, etc. as freshmen and knowing that by their junior year UNH would be top 10 in the country. You have to live for the present, because as we saw last year, anticipate future better days can fall apart in seconds with Bourque, White and others not showing up or leaving.

That's more of an indictment of the NCAA than of UNH.

The trick then is to have a solid core that will go 4 years so those top end guys can be two or three and done. If you think your roster is 25 and the top end guys are 3 to 5 that will be 2 or 3 and done than you may have a successful model.

If I were the UNH hockey GM, I would look at my roster and say OK:

• -I need minimum 3 to 5 guys I think are 3 year max guys - that is what a high end guy is today.
• -I need maximum 3 to 5 that are development guys with high risk high reward potential - example a true freshman everybody else wanted to see a year of juniors. These are my gambles.
• -The rest solid core guys that will most likely go 4 years.

From that list I tailor my recruiting so I don't miss on solid core guys I need while waiting on a guy that probably isn't going to come to UNH. Also that list allows me to establish a market for the scholarship "price".

Problem for UNH this year is it is difficult to plan a wack like this year for all in one year (JVR, Dries, Bourgue, White), coupled with a light core group. The core group is the fault of coaching as they should have had a better core going all along. The wack just happens.

By rebuilding I men establishing that core group again, so the year or two you have for example: Burke and Reid (or Kessel - Laleggia) as two power forwards you can do something. I think Reid is a 2 maybe 3 year guy and Burke is a 3 year guy.

[Dan]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

I think Reid is a 2 maybe 3 year guy and Burke is a 3 year guy.

Reid is a good looking player - scored and dished out two assists in Westside's 6-4 loss at Surrey tonight. Downing also scored...

Two really good forwards for next year - hope I can get up there to see Laleggia and Penticton in December...

[Gibber]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

mentioned it on the Maine thread, not sure if anyone has mentioned it here but
Friends of UNH Hockey hosting first pre-game tailgate event Sat from 3:30-6:30

[Gibber]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

Quick question for fans at the game. I heard a rumor that they were putting new glass up, taller glass. It looked on TV like it was higher, can anyone confirm this is the case? It'll sure make it tougher for photos in an already tough arena to shoot in (thanks to filthy unkept glass on the ends and in the corners).... If they did replace it, was it just the sides or did the end glass get replaced and is it clean?

[UNHhockey29]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

Quick question for fans at the game. I heard a rumor that they were putting new glass up, taller glass. It looked on TV like it was higher, can anyone confirm this is the case? It'll sure make it tougher for photos in an already tough arena to shoot in (thanks to filthy unkept glass on the ends and in the corners).... If they did replace it, was it just the sides or did the end glass get replaced and is it clean?

The new glass is up only on the sides (my glass is still filthy). Only about a few inches shorter than the end glass. They didn't get new posts though so the post only go about half way up.

[Crazy4UNHhockey]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

Quick question for fans at the game. I heard a rumor that they were putting new glass up, taller glass. It looked on TV like it was higher, can anyone confirm this is the case? It'll sure make it tougher for photos in an already tough arena to shoot in (thanks to filthy unkept glass on the ends and in the corners).... If they did replace it, was it just the sides or did the end glass get replaced and is it clean?

The glass on the sides is definitely new & taller. It's very clean!